


Dancing

by nameofuser71



Category: Red Rising Series - Pierce Brown
Genre: Angst, F/M, I'm sorry im incapable of writing anything other than angst, Mention of alcohol, No I'm not enjoy your angst, That's it. That's the only reason it's Teen, You don't get any fluff until you've finished all your angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:47:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27734806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nameofuser71/pseuds/nameofuser71
Summary: A couple of drabbles about dancing in the Red Rising universe
Relationships: Darrow au Andromedus & Sevro au Barca, Darrow au Andromedus/Virginia au Augustus | Mustang, Virginia au Augustus | Mustang/Cassius au Bellona
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. First Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set somewhere in Morning Star

“Okay, now your left comes forward,” Darrow instructed. Sevro’s feet shuffled, slightly off balance; the move wasn’t perfect, but he mirrored Darrow well enough. Darrow nodded, and showed him the next move. “Now like this,” he said, shifting his weight and moving his arms. Sevro mirrored him again, wobbling slightly. Both had had too much to drink for this dancing lesson, really, and it showed. Sevro snorted as he lost his balance and tried the move again.  
  
“I’m no good at this, Reap,” he said.  
  
Darrow shook his head, “You’ll get better, you just need practice. It took me a while to get it too.”  
  
Sevro sighed and looked to his feet. Clumsy things, he thought, not meant for this dance. Not meant for dancing at all, actually. He could sway to music, or bob his head. But this dance was too graceful. “Maybe I’m just not good at this.”  
  
“You will be, give it time. It’s your first lesson.”  
  
“Easy for you to say, you’re good at this.”  
  
Darrow smiled, remembering how Uncle Narol had taught him to dance. He had nudged Darrow when his feet were off and, once, even tripped him. _See?_ Uncle Narol had said, _You keep your feet where I tell you to, and you won’t trip. Plant your feet, plant them well. Plant them in the dirt, and you’ll never lose your footing._ Maybe he could ask Uncle Narol for help, when the Pitvipers weren’t out on a mission.  
  
No, maybe not. Darrow knew this dance, the Reaping Dance, as well as he knew how to breathe. This dance was a part of him, and his people. And Sevro’s people, too; his mother, Bryn, might have taught him this dance if she had lived long enough to. But she hadn’t, and Darrow was as close to family as Sevro had, with Fitchner dead now, too. So, Darrow would teach him this dance, one Red to another, as family.  
  
“I wasn’t always good at dancing, trust me. I fell over enough times, too,” Darrow assured Sevro.  
  
Sevro sighed, sat back in his chair, took another swig of his swill, and grimaced. Darrow laughed, “Still not used to the taste?”  
  
“No,” Sevro shook his head as Darrow sat, too, “But I haven’t been around much to taste it. War's kept us all busy.” The two were quiet for a moment, sipping, before Darrow stood again.  
  
“Alright, let’s see if you can do the moves without me this time.”  
  
Sevro looked down at his cup, still resting in his chair, “Nah, I think I’m done for the night.”  
  
“Maybe tomorrow then.”  
  
Sevro stayed silent for a moment. “Maybe I just won’t get it” he finally said, quiet enough that Darrow might have asked him to repeat himself if his ears weren’t so sharp. Sevro drained his cup, stood, and made to leave for bed.  
  
Darrow moved to him, stopping him before he took more than a step. “What’s wrong?” Darrow knew there was plenty of things Sevro could list, but it was something about dancing that seemed to be bothering him most tonight.  
  
“I’m just not good at this,” Sevro shrugged, “I wasn’t born and raised dancing like this. I was born Gold, remember? I don’t know how to dance…”  
  
Sevro looked down. “Like… I’m not Red enough. And everyone here knows it.”  
  
Darrow paused a moment, then put his hand on Sevro’s shoulder and gave him a smile. “Then let me teach you, brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More drabbles to come... eventually.  
> (Suggestions and requests welcome!)


	2. Lo Mustang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A N G S T  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stole this idea from a couple blogs on Tumblr  
> (Should I credit them? Do I need to credit them? For inspiration?)

She had noticed Darrow just after coming in. She had tried not to look for him; she knew he would be here, but she wasn't prepared for how it would feel to see him again.

Mustang had looped her arm in Cassius's when the elevator doors had opened up to the gala. She had taken a breath, nervous, but she kept her spine straight and her head raised high. She couldn't show anyone that she was nervous; not her father, not the guests at the gala, not even Cassius. Especially not Cassius. She had squeezed his arm as they walked in, though.

Cassius turned to look at the beautiful woman by his side as they walked in. He smiled softly as she squeezed his arm, and he felt his heart squeeze in tandem. She was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time. Oh, the Morning Knight appointment, of course. That had soothed his pride and purpose, but it was this wonderful woman that had soothed his heart. It had been a rough few years, from Julian's death and Darrow's betrayal at the Institute. The contests to prove himself worthy of the Morning Knight appointment had been a good distraction, but Mustang had been the best. It wasn't until Cassius noticed how Darrow looked at Mustang from across the gala that he began to feel uneasy. _He wouldn't start trouble tonight... He couldn't...._ But then again, trouble followed Darrow like a shadow.

They had been greeting one of Cassius's new colleagues when Mustang's eyes scanned the room, and landed on Darrow. The well-wishes and pleasantries exchanged suddenly sounded distant. Mustang's throat tightened and her heart squeezed as she watched Darrow toss back his drink and hurry through the crowd. She had known he would be here. This wasn't a suprise. _Pull yourself together, Virginia!_ This wasn't a suprise, so why did it hurt so much? Mustang felt like she was underwater, like she was drowing. And by the look on Darrow's face, he felt the same.

"Excuse me," Mustang said, as she squeezed Cassius's arm. "I'll be back in a few." Cassius smiled and returned to the greetings and introductions. She hurried through the crowd of colorful swiriling skirts, looking like a black arrow whizing through the rainbow. She had worn a black dress tonight so she would stand out. A color of mourning to make a statement; Darrow was wearing black, too, she noticed. His military uniform, from the Academy, Mustang presumed. They had matched, by accident. How bittersweet...

Mustang was able to reach Darrow a few steps in front of the elevator. "Darrow, wait," she said, her voice soft, but loud enough to be heard over the now distant music.

His face was stony. His jaw was set, as if he was trying not to cry. Maybe he was. Mustang was trying, too. "Lo, Mustang," was all he was able to say.

"Can we... can we just talk for a moment," Mustang asked, the nervousness in her voice obvious.

"Talk? About what?" he said, an edge to his voice, but he didn't seem angry.

Mustang looked at Darrow's shoes and fixed her sleeves for a moment. "Do you want to dance?" She said it so softly, and Darrow took a beat too long to answer, so that Mustang wondered if she should repeat the question. Or pretend it never happened and walk away. Walk back to her date, a man who was just as handsome as Darrow, had a higher position and more money, had a better family....

Mustang took a breath, and was about to make an excuse to leave, when Darrow stepped closer to her and said, "If you'd like." Mustang swallowed and took the hand she hadn't notice him stretch out to her.

The music was quieter here, at the edge of the room, perfect for a private conversation, if either of them had had the words. In fact, they hardly looked directly at each other. Darrow would glance at Mustang, his eyes full of heartbreak, only to look away again just before Mustang would gaze wistfully at him. The dance was short, only half a song, really, but it seemed to last a lifetime to the former lovers.

Mustang thought Darrow seemed a stranger to her now, but he had always been a stanger to her, she supposed. He had never opened up to her, really. He had never opened up to anyone, as far as Mustang knew. He kept everyone at arms length. Cassius, on the other hand, had shown Mustang his broken peices too quickly. He had so many wounds, and she had done everything she could to soothe them. Not for Cassius, not for her own heart. For her family. The family that would never care how much she had sacrificed for them, she thought, as the one thing she missed most held her hands in his.

When it was over, Darrow cleared his throat, but didn't say anything. He glanced from Mustang to the elevator, to Mustang again, and happened to see something behind Mustang's shoulder that made his jaw set more firmly again. Mustang looked back to see Cassius looking over to her. He was standing on the fringes of the party, brow furrowed in confusion, and his lips turned down. Mustang could only imagine what thoughts were going through his head. She'd have to do damage control, tell Cassius she was well and truly over Darrow, that she had only wanted to make sure Darrow wouldn't start trouble tonight. That, he would understand. And it was partially true... not the part about her being over him, though. If the tightness in her chest when she looked back and saw Darrow had disappeared was anything to go by, she was nowhere near over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been off the radar for a couple weeks. Finals and the holidays kicked my butt. I had an emotional and stressful couple weeks, but I'm back babey.  
> I have... so many ideas... so many.... too many. I'll probably put up another handful of chapters. Feel free to make requests if you have them


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